The present invention relates to a universal valve allowing regulation of the flow of a fluid, liquid or gas, e.g. air, water, oil, blood, etc., through an orifice in a rigid, semi-rigid, flexible etc. wall delimiting spaces in which there prevail respectively pressures P1, P2, the valve having a tubular body intended to be fixed in a sealed manner facing the orifice on one side of the wall, and a deformable flexible member subject to the action of the pressures P1 and P2 controlling the flow of the fluid as a function of these pressures.
The document DE 387 190 relates to a valve for a sealed envelope of a ball, comprising a conical tubular body fixed to the internal wall of the envelope, on the inside of which is mounted a seal having a conical concave part, within which there engages a likewise conical central part. The conical concave part has holes which are sealed by the conical tubular body and by the conical central part of the seal when the pressure inside the envelope is greater than the external pressure.
The document EP-A-0 253 748 relates to a one-piece valve, the thickness of which matches that of the wall of an enclosed space to be isolated, the said valve having an internal cavity which communicates with the exterior via a first hole and communicates with the interior of the enclosed space via a plurality of holes arranged between the wall of the enclosed space itself and a part of the latter forming a valve element, these holes being closed when the pressure inside the enclosed space is greater than the external pressure.
The document DE-A-2 062 116 relates to a nonreturn valve for a pneumatic control valve comprising a body into which there open an inlet for fluid under pressure, an outlet towards a consuming unit and a vent. A valve element is mounted so as to slide in the control valve to allow either the consuming unit to be fed from the pressure source, with the vent being closed, or to vent the consuming unit, with the inlet for fluid under pressure being closed.
The valve according to the invention is defined by the characteristic given in claim 1.
Its principal quality is that it has very low inertia while at the same time being highly reliable.
It is universal in the sense that it has applications and uses in various sectors, e.g. in pneumatic objects and devices (boats, balls, mattresses, buoys, etc.), in medicine and surgery (artificial hearts), in aeronautics, in sporting equipment (diving etc.). In principle, there are no particular problems in miniaturizing it.
Other characteristics of the invention will emerge from the subclaims.